BackupBuddy: ImportBuddy

ImportBuddy (importbuddy.php) is the tool that allows you to migrate or restore a site with BackupBuddy. Keep a copy of the ImportBuddy script with your backups for restoring sites directly from backups. For complete documentation on migrating or restoring your site with BackupBuddy, please visit the Manual Migration and Magic Migration pages.

ImportBuddy Password

To use ImportBuddy, you'll first need to set a password. ImportBuddy requires this to protect unauthorized access to your site and backup files before you have finished restoring. This password is encoded inside your importbuddy.php file when it is made, so:

If you share this ImportBuddy file to another for usage with a backup file you will need to provide the corresponding password.

If you change the password will need to download a new copy of ImportBuddy. Changing the password will NOT change it in existing ImportBuddy files.

You can also set a password when you download ImportBuddy. If you set a password when downloading ImportBuddy, it overrides the password you created in your BackupBuddy Settings. If you leave the option blank, it will use the default password you created in your settings.

An ImportBuddy password can also be set during the Quick Setup page after first installing BackupBuddy.

Accessing ImportBuddy

After setting your ImportBuddy password, there are two ways you can access ImportBuddy:

Manually downloading (and then uploading to destination server)

Sending to destination from within BackupBuddy

Manually Downloading and Uploading to Destination Server

To manually download ImportBuddy and upload to your destination server, follow these steps:

Manually Downloading ImportBuddy

To download ImportBuddy, navigate to the Restore/Migrate page in BackupBuddy and click the Download ImportBuddy button. This will initiate the download of the ImportBuddy file.

Uploading ImportBuddy to your destination server

Decide on the FTP directory that you would like to migrate or restore the backup to (using an empty directory is best) that corresponds to the web URL you want your destination site to be at. For example, if you want your new site's URL to be "http://your.com/mybuddy/" then your server directory MIGHT be something like /user/yourusername/public_html/mybuddy/. This is the directory you will then put importbuddy.php into. Note: The directory structure varies host to host but often follows a similar format.

The 6 ImportBuddy Steps

Advanced Options

ImportBuddy's Advanced Options allow customization of various ImportBuddy functionality for custom purposes or troubleshooting. Exercise caution as some advanced options may have unforeseen effects if not used properly, such as overwriting existing files or erasing existing database content.

Advanced Options can be located after clicking the Advanced Options button during Step 1 and 4 the 6 ImportBuddy Steps.

Step 1 Advanced Options:

ZIP Archive Extraction (Step 2)

Skip zip file extraction - Checking this box will prevent extraction/unzipping of the backup ZIP file. You will need to manually extract it either on your local computer then upload it or use a server-based tool such as cPanel to extract it. This feature is useful if the extraction step is unable to complete for some reason.

Import Logging - Errors and other debugging information will be written to importbuddy.txt in the same directory as importbuddy.php. This is useful for debugging any problems encountered during import. Support may request this file to aid in tracking down any problems or bugs.

Step 4 Advanced Options:

Database Import (Step 4)

Skip import of database

Delete database tables that match new prefix on import - WARNING: Checking this box will have this script clear ALL existing data from your database that match the new database prefix prior to import, possibly including non-WordPress data. This is useful if you are restoring over an existing site or repairing a failed migration. Use caution when using this option and double check the destination prefix. This cannot be undone.

Delete ALL database tables, erasing ALL database content - WARNING: Checking this box will have this script clear ALL existing data from your database, period, including non-WordPress data found. Use with extreme caution, verifying you are using the exact correct database settings. This cannot be undone.

Force database import compatibility (pre-v3.0) mode

Ignore existing WordPress tables and import (merge tables) anyways - When checked ImportBuddy will allow importing database tables that have the same name as existing tables. This results in a merge of the existing data with the imported database being merged. Note that this is does NOT update existing data and only ADDS new database table rows. All other SQL conflict errors will be suppressed as well. Use this feature with caution.

Skip extended brute force migration of URLS/paths in database - By default BackupBuddy will extensively examine and migrate unknown database tables. Sometimes however this can cause timeouts on larger sites. You may skip this intensive procedure to reduce required runtime for database migration steps. Note that some URLs or paths may not be updated if skipping this step. All major WordPress URLs and paths will still be updated however.